Teeth cleaning and gum massaging device



'Dec. 21, 1937. 1. H. 2,103,083

TEETH CLEANING AND GUM MASSAGING DEVICE Filed March 30, 1936 INVENTOR fin/waif [Y/Vt/l- Patented n... 21, 1931 TEETH CLEANING AND DEVICE GUM MASSAGING;

Frances LLynch, Yonkers, N. Y., assignor to Indexo Finger Tooth Brush, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 30, 1936, Serial No; 71,712 5 Claims. (01. 1 8-62) This invention relates to a device for cleanin 7 and conditioning teeth and gums, and more particularly to a rubber cot having surface appliances adapted for teeth cleaning and gum massaging operations.

In the development of scientific information regarding the care of the teeth, it has been as certained that the health of the teeth structure is closely associated with that of the gums, so that any treatment of teeth to maintain their normal vigor and perfection should be associated with a coincident treatment ofv the gums to insure adequate blood supply and firm supporting tissue for the teeth. Heretofore it has been customary to supply devices such as bristle tooth brushes which are limitedonly to a brushing operation on the teeth, there being no provision for adequate gum treatment.

It is an important object of the present inven- 7 tion to provide an oral appliance which may be used in sequence as a comprehensive tooth cleanser as well as a massage device. Another object of the invention is to provide a tooth cleanser and conditioner which is susceptible of use on tender gums without irritation thereto. A further object is to provide a device of this type which permits a graduated pressure treatment for the gums to bring them into proper con-. dition. Still another object is to provide a device of the type indicated which may be employed in the plural operations of teeth cleaning, teeth polishing and gum massaging. An object also is to provide a tooth appliance which may be cleansed in accordance with surgical requirements. Still another object is to provide a dental appliance which supplies a plural cleaning means adapted to reach varying depths of interdental cavities. Further objects will be apparent on consideration of the following description and of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged elevational front view of the cleaning and massage device showing a single row of long projections;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a back elevational view of Fig. 1 showing the angular ridges;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on of F18. 3;

line 4-4 one method of using the device;

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of a modification showing long projections in a double row at the end of the cot and a single row on the sides;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view showing Fig. 7 is a'transverse sectional view taken on line I-'!-of Fig. 6;

vFig. 8 is a back elevation of Fig. 6 showing spaced longitudinal projections and spaced ridges; t Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of another modification similar to Fig. 4 but with long projections interspersed with short ones; and.

Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view taken on line Ill-l of Fig. 9. i

In Fig. 1, I have illustrated a form of my invention which may be preferred and which consists of a rubber stall or cot I0 adapted to be positioned preferably on-the index finger of the hand, tliere being provided to assist positioning and removal of the cot the end flaps I I and I! at the open end of the cot. The cot has two main surfaces, the front surface i3 and the rear surface l4. On the front surface is formed a plurality of projections 15 and Hi, the projections I! being approximately one-eighth inch in length, and the projections l6 being somewhat larger, as clearly indicated in Fig. 1. As shown also in this figure, the projections i are dispersed preferably regularly over the cot surface lit, the enlarged projections l6 forming an outer boundary extending along the sides and outer end of the cot-enclosing the area of lesser projections 15 on three sides. The projections l5 and it are of rubber and are integral with the cot surface,

and since the rubber employed is of a flexible nature both the cot surface and the projections are susceptible to resilient displacement when subjected to pressure against a harder material such as a tooth or gum surface. To increase slightly the resistance to deformation the various projections are approximately conical in contour and terminate in a dull point.

On the rear face ll of the cot the surface is free of projections except for a banded area 9 extending angularly over this surface from the rear to the front of the cot, thus leavinga smooth, unbanded area 8 on the front end'of the rear surface. Thebanded area includes a plurality of slightly projecting strips i1 and I8 having rounded edges, the strip i'l forming the forward edge of the banded area 9, and the strip l8 forming the rear edge. Intermediate the two strips I1 and [8 are a series of aligned circular protuberances l9 having flat top areas, the height of these protuberances and that of the strips i1 and I8 being approximately the same. An aperi ture 20 is formed in the end of .the cotto permit movement of air in conjunction with the insertion or removal of the finger from the cot.

In using the cot as described and as shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, the cot is placed preferably on the forefinger with the front face of the cot over the inside of the finger. If it is desired to utilize cleaning agents such as tooth powder or paste or medicaments, these may then be ap plied to the prejections and the cot then placed over the tooth surface. The brushing action should be from thegum toward the distal surfaces, in which movement the projections ride over the sides of the teeth and in the inter-dental cavities. The action is both frictional and sweeping, the soft surfaces of the rubber exerting a complete cleaning action, removing not only film and bacterial plaques by frictional contact, but also removing inter-tooth food particles in a series of sweeping movements of the various transversely positioned projections. The small projections remove the ordinary particle accumulation but their action is facilitated by the provision of the outer row of enlarged projections l6 which insures complete removal of food particles between teeth of greatly varied arrangement and depth of inter-dental cavities. Fig. 5 illustrates the action of the projections on and between the teeth.

Having completed the cleaning operation by subjecting the teeth to this sweeping action along all of the tooth surfaces, the gums may then be subjected to treatment both for cleaning and stimulating the flow of blood in the gum tissue. In the gum conditioning operation the treatment will depend somewhat upon the sensitivity of the gums, as well as the prior methods of treatment. Where the gum is more or less tender or irritated due to bristle irritation or to diseased conditions or lack of proper treatment, the initial operation should be with the bristles where,

guided by the tactile sense of the finger, a light circular motion is imparted to the cot, moving the projection terminals over the gum surface with a minimum of pressure. If the gum tissue is healthy and normal this preliminary cleaning and stimulating step may be succeeded by the application of the projection surfaces of the rear side of the cot. The principle involved in the banded area of the rear surface of the cot is that of stimulation from alternate pressure and re lease of pressure, this being fundamental to the massage operation. The banded area succeeds in this stimulating effect when the cot is moved slowly in an axial direction, the ridges moving continuously over the surface of the gum. This brings about a wave-like pressure effect which passes over the gum succeeded by an immediaterelease of pressure, this occurring in quick succession as the pressure from strip l8, for example, is succeeded by the pressure of the protuberances i9 and the succeeding strip 11. The strips i1 I and I8 produce a uniform pressure over the gum area as the cot is moved, whereas the protuberances I! produce an intermittent or broken pressure approximately transverse to their direction of movement. The angularity of the strips tend to cause a sweeping movement from the upper to the lower part of the gum, when moved in a direction away from the closed cot end, which is advantageous where there isan unhealthy condition of the tooth base, and thus assisting in the elimination of detrimental secretions. The treatment of the banded area may be preceded by a simple pressure operation resulting from application of the smooth area 8 of the cot on the gum surface. This area is particularly useful in the dental treatment of children or teething babies.

In Fig. 6 I have shown a modification of the structure of Fig. 1, this modification differing over the previously described form by the .inclusion of a second row 25 of enlarged projections at the outer end of the cot, the projections l5 and i6 being as in the first disclosure. The object of the added row of large projections 25 in this modified structure is to facilitate tooth cleaning where special difficulty is found in the removal of food particles, the use of the cot in this connection being with an end movement instead of sidemovement. After using the end projections, the usual side sweep of the cot may be employed in the cleaning action.

In the modification of Fig. 6 I employ an alternative form. of massage or conditioning surface on the rear face 21 of the cot which comprises a plurality of parallel and axially positioned ridges 28 having rounded surfaces together with circular protuberances 29 aligned in extension of each ridge. The utility of this form of gum conditioning surfacing will appear from the fact that as the cot travels axially over the gum the pressure is concentrated in the ridges 28, but since this is a moving pressure for any given point in the gum surface there will be a continuous pressure for a longer time interval followed by intermittent short time pressures as the protuberances 29 move over the point. This pressure on the gum, intermittent as to duration and variable as to point of application, is found to have a pronouncedly stimulating effect on the gum tissue and forms an effective aid to maintaining the health of teeth and gums. In this arrangement also there is provided the open and smooth surface ill for sensitive gum treatment.

In the modification of Fig. 9 I have illustrated a cot in which the short projections 35 and the long projections 36 are positioned in alternative rows around the front surface 31 of the cot so that both size projections are effective throughout the teeth cleaning operation. In this. modification the rear surface 38 of the cot is free of protuberances or ridges and it is employed for massage or conditioning operations simply as a pressure element.

In all of the modifications mentioned the rear face of the cot is adapted for use as a polishing means for the teeth as well as for its normal use of gum conditioning succeeding the teeth brushing operation in conjunction with the projections on the front face of the cot. The rear face of the cot lends itself particularly to pressure, whereas the front face of the cot is adapted for treatment where less pressure is desirable, but it is apparent that both the projection surface of the cot as well as the ridge surface are capable of imparting a frictional action on the teeth whereby either with or without added polishing substances the surface of the teeth may be polished.

In all modifications, also, a smooth area as at 3 of Fig. 3 is provided suitable for massage on tender surfaces or for tooth polishing.

While projections of two groups as to length have been described, I may employ additional groups to serve specific effects.

In treating the teeth withthe appliances as above described it is desirable that the sequence of operation suggested be followed, such as the preliminary sweeping operation followed by the projection gum treatment, and concluding with the pressure massaging with the rear face of the gums are cleaned and properly conditioned so as to be maintained in a normally healthy condition.

Modifications other than herein shown and described may of course be made, hence applicant does not desire to be limited except as required by the scope of the claims hereto appended.

I claim as my invention: l. A dental conditioning device comprising a ,m cot having a front face with a plurality of yieldable projections only thereon anda rear face having plural ridges thereon extending in anacute angle thereonwith reference to the cot axis, and a plurality of protuberances formed between said ridges. a

2. A dental conditioning deviceoomprislng a flexible cot, a plurality of projections having a length of one-eighth inch or'less; and a plurality of similar projections having a length in excess of one-eighth inch, said projections covering the front surface area of said cot and extending radially therefrom.

3. A dental conditioning appliance comprising a flexible cot, a plurality of pointed projectionshaving a uniform length on the front face of thecot, a" plurality of pointed projections of a length greater than that of the first mentioned pointed projections forming a fringe about the area covered by the first mentioned projections, and a gum massaging area on the rear face of the cot.

4. A dental conditioning device comprising a cot having a front and rear face, the front face being provided with a plurality ofresilient pointed projections, some of which having a length'difl'ering from others, and the rear face being provided with a plurality of ridges whereby the teeth and gums may be subjected to a sequential cleaning,

- massaging and polishing operation.

5. A dental conditioning device comprising a flexible cot. and two groups of resilient projections formed radially on the surface of said cot,

the length of the projections in each group being 

